


For Want Of A Nail

by IllegalCerebral



Series: Unknown Subjects AU [3]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drinking to Cope, Drowning Sorrows, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, drinking and talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-18 16:23:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11878287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllegalCerebral/pseuds/IllegalCerebral
Summary: Foyet recovers from his altercation with The Reaper - Aaron Hotchner.





	1. Chapter 1

Foyet hated hospitals, in fact he loathed them. He hated the way everything was stark and white and cold, he hated the constant beeps and hums of the machines around him but most of all he hated being helpless. It reminded him of being a kid again. 

Lewis and Tobias both offered to drive him home once he was discharged but he waved them off and took a cab instead. The apartment had been cleaned while he was in hospital, he suspected Diane was responsible. The bloodstains had been mostly mopped up though there was faint rust coloured stain on his carpet still. The furniture had been straightened and someone had bought a bouquet of flowers to add a little cheer to the room. Foyet made a mental note to thank her when he finally returned back to work.

It was quiet, so quiet. The first time Hotchner had attacked him, he’d left him for dead in the parking lot at Quantico. It was a message -  _I can get you anywhere_. He didn’t have a family of his own, the team was the closest thing he had and Foyet suspected that leaving him there was as much a taunt towards them as it was revenge against him. 

_“Sir he’s in Virginia! He’s here” Tobias came bursting into his office, he was on edge. That wasn’t saying much, Tobias was often on edge but Foyet had sat bolt upright when the analyst shoved the laptop on his desk._

_“Are you sure?”  
_

_“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Look, he’s been using about six different aliases but it’s definitely him right? Question is why is Hotcher here, so close to us?”  
_

_“Because he wants to_ be _close to us. Go and round up the others, I’ll meet you in the briefing room” said Foyet, the lie weighing heavy in his mouth. Once Tobias had gone he grabbed his keys and his gun and headed out._

The clock struck 11pm. How long had he been sitting here? It didn’t matter, sleep wasn’t going to come anytime soon. Would anyone be awake if he sent a quick text or email? No, he wouldn’t do that to them - not tonight. Foyet headed to the kitchen and poured a large glass of whiskey.

_He stepped into the apartment and immediately knew that something was wrong. It was too still._

_“Where are they?” Foyet felt cold metal pressing to the back to his neck. He was half tempted to ask who were they but he didn’t particularly fancy a knife rammed into his throat.  
_

_“Your family’s safe Aaron. There in an FBI safe house under protective custody.”  
_

_“You took them from me.”  
_

_“No, I didn’t Aaron” Foyet was amazed at how steady his voice was “Hayley left when she found out what you’d done. All those people you killed.”  
_

_“We were fine. I was fine, I was better with her”  
_

_“You snuck out of the house to butcher people in their homes. That’s not better.” Foyet spun around but Hotchner was faster._

The glass was drained and refilled. Foyet was about to take another gulp of whiskey when there was a knock at the door. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. His hand went to his gun. 

“George I know you’re in there and you’re still awake” Lewis’ voice was muffled through the door. Instantly Foyet relaxed.

“Well I am now” he said, opening the door “What’s wrong?” Lewis raised an eyebrow and pushed passed him.

“You don’t need me to tell you how damaging it must be to your mental well being to go straight back to the place where you were nearly killed” said Lewis. 

“I think Diane came and cleaned up.”

“Actually she roped the whole team into helping. There was a rota.”

Foyet smiled and offered Lewis a glass. After a pause he accepted it.

“Have you had an update on Hayley and Jack Hotchner?” asked Foyet

“They’re being moved again” said Lewis “Maybe now they can start fresh. Maybe you can too”

_Foyet smacked the knife out of the other man’s hand and they both fell to the floor. Blow after blow landed on Foyet’s face and neck until he managed to twist his body and his foot connected with Hotchner’s chest, sending him flying._

_“You took them from me” Hotchner spat, scrambling to his feet “You made them look at me like a monster”_

_Foyet charged fowards, slamming him into a wall. One of his neighbours would have heard the commotion by now and called the cops. At least he hoped they would. All he needed to do was stay alive until then._

“Yeah maybe” said Foyet, swirling the liquor around the glass


	2. Chapter 2

_There were hands around Foyet’s throat. He was going to die. Strangely, despite the adrenaline coursing through his body, the thought didn’t scare him. Aaron Hotchner’s face swam in front of him as his vision began to blur. Even if he died right here, he won. There was no way that Hotchner would get away before help arrived, he was going to prison or dying in the attempt to flee and his family was safely hidden away where he could never hurt them again. That alone was worth dying for._

“Where have you gone?’ asked Lewis, pulling him out of the memory. His glass was still half full.

“Peter that’s actually semi-decent whiskey there”

“I prefer wine to be honest and you’ve haven’t answered my question”

“I was thinking about fate. Or lack thereof”

Lewis scoffed.

“You’re not a believer in destiny I take it?” asked Foyet.

“Not in the least. There’s only us”

“Yeah I don’t buy it either” said Foyet, setting down his glass “Do you know my father beat my mother and I everyday that I can remember? He was cruel son of a bitch”

“I didn’t know that. I’m sorry” said Lewis slowly, wondering where this was going.

“It was a very long time ago” said Foyet with a shrug “After they died I was adopted. They were good people, kind...”

_There was a sound, kind of like people running around downstairs. Was someone coming for him? It was getting dark. Foyet felt the grip on his neck relax slightly. That was definitely the sound of people running. That was his team. No, he wasn’t going to die. Right then and there he decided he wasn’t going to die. His gun was close by, if he could just..._

“Did you also know...” Poyet continued after taking a long drink of whiskey “That Aaron Hotchner’s father also beat him, his mother and his brother on a nearly daily basis?”

“Ah”

“Yeah”

“And you think that means what?’ asked Lewis “That you two are the same?  He threatened the life of his wife and child. He emotionally blackmailed a police detective into calling off a city wide investigation into his crimes. The man killed fourteen people over a ten year period for god’s sake!”

“I’ve killed people”

“You’ve shot people in the line of duty. That’s completely different” Lewis looked angry now “The two of you are nothing alike!”

Foyet nodded.

“I know. It all comes down to choice right? It’s as simple as that. We had similar starts in life but he chose to deal with it one way and I chose-”

“To fight the monsters instead of becoming one” finished Lewis. He relaxed back into the chair.

“I guess I just think that it’s strange” said Foyet as he downed the rest of his drink.

_The gun was in his hand, his finger on the trigger. Two shots. The sound of a body slumping down. It’s over, it’s all over. He felt hands pull him up, a sea of familiar faces etched with concern._

_“Call an ambulance. He’s still breathing. Diane can you help me with this?” a woman’s voice said from where Hotcher had fallen. It sounded muffled.  
_

_“We’re here Boss. It’s going to be okay”  
_

_Is it?_

“I guess deep down we’re all capable of terrible things” said Foyet.


End file.
